Israel gives former army chief 28 days to form government
President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with building a coalition after October 27 elections left no single party with a majority.
By Connor Murphy ·
Israeli politics operates on a proportional system that often results in fragmented parliaments, making coalition building a complex process. President Isaac Herzog named Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief and main rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to form the next government on Saturday night.
Herzog made the decision after days of consultations with parties elected to the 120-seat Knesset on October 27. Neither candidate secured a majority of 61 seats. Netanyahu’s coalition held 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s opposition bloc won 48. The remaining 19 seats went to Arab-led parties. Herzog determined that Eisenkot had the best chance of assembling a government because Arab-led parties indicated willingness to support him.
Eisenkot faces three primary paths to power. He could strike a power-sharing deal with Netanyahu, seek support from Arab-led parties, or negotiate with ultra-Orthodox groups. Each option presents distinct political hurdles. Eisenkot and his coalition partners campaigned on ending long-standing military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox. Conversely, those religious parties, which are part of Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition, want to preserve those exemptions to maintain their religious lifestyle.
The prospect of working with Arab-led parties remains contentious for Eisenkot’s bloc. One of his conservative partners, Yisrael Beytenu, already stated it will not join a coalition with Arab-led parties. The Arab-led Ra’am party, which has joined a government before, said it would support Eisenkot. The Joint List, the second major Arab-led party, broke with decades of precedent by offering support from outside the coalition. This arrangement requires Eisenkot to meet specific conditions, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and labeling Hamas a terrorist organization.
Netanyahu continues to pressure Eisenkot by claiming the elections were stolen due to high Arab voter turnout. He offered few proofs for these claims. The Shin Bet security agency launched an investigation into potential foreign interference, but the Central Election Commission and Herzog affirmed the vote was valid. Netanyahu asked for a national unity government with Eisenkot on Saturday night, though such arrangements are often fragile.
Eisenkot receives the official mandate to build a coalition during a ceremony on Sunday. He has 28 days to succeed, with the possibility of a two-week extension. If he fails, Netanyahu will receive a chance to form a government. If both leaders fail, Israel will hold new elections in early spring. New Knesset members will be sworn in on Tuesday night, and Netanyahu’s cabinet will serve in an interim capacity with limited powers until a new coalition is formed.
